The roots of Iittala date back to 1881 when a glass factory was established in a village of the same name in southern Finland. In the beginning of the 20th century dinnerware was decorated with a variety of ornaments. Iittala was one of the first companies to make the transition from decorative dinner sets to functional, aesthetically pleasing objects infused with progressive Scandinavian design. The core idea behind Iittala is to offer aesthetically and functionally durable products that bring enjoyment and pleasure to everyday life.

The Designer

Born in Helsinki, Finland, in 1943. Heikki Orvola is one of the driving forces within Finnish design. He works in glass, ceramics, cast iron and textiles. Orvola has worked for the industrial art business, but he has also worked in a variety of different materials as a form of pure, artistic expression. During his career as a designer, Heikki Orvola has received awards and prizes, including the Kaj Franck prize in 1998 – perhaps Finland’s most important design prize.

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